Nightingale
by Mari Knickerbocker
Summary: Zalanna is a young gryphon from White Gryphon and new to the Silvers. She and her human partner have been asigned to duty in Haven. One of they're fellow Silvers just happens to be the beautiful Savian...takes place after Storms
1. Obsession

Disclaimer Most of the characters and ideas belong to Mercedes Lackey, what you don't reconginze is my own orginal work. This is a rather old piece and the first fan fic I ever wrote so.. bare with the rough edges.

Zalanna could not believe her luck, she was going to Haven the capital city of Valdemar. Home to the Heralds and Valdermar's few Herald-Mages not to mention the Companions. She, a lowly little gyrfalcon, was going to meet Queen Selenay and her consort Herald Daren, not to mention Herald-Mage Elspeth and her mate Adept Darkwind; all who were walking, living legends. However, what made Zala squirm with anticipation was the fact that she and her partner Silverhawk along with another tow and four-footed team from the Silvers (that just so happened to include the incredibly handsome Savian) where going to be the honor guard for the great Treyvan and Hydona. Not that the Great Ones needed an honor guard; what the four Silver's were really going to Haven for was to become members of the Kaled'a'in diplomatic delegation.

Although why the Elders had chosen her and Silverhawk to travel with Savian and Nightsblade, Zalanna had no idea. It was a decision that set her gryphon mind to wondering. _We have just arrived at k'Leshya Vale; we have no idea about who these Valdermarian's are other than the stories we have heard. Whereas Savian and Nightsblade have been a part of events here, sense the beginning of White Gryphon's involvement._ Zalanna pondered as she flew through the air pulling the carry basket behind her. _Savian, Nightsblade, and Silverhawk have done this kind of work before, where as I am new to the Silvers. I just know that Savian thinks I'm not good enough to be a Silver, let alone do this!_

As if to emphases that fact Savian increased his flight speed, goading Zalanna into trying to keep up. Like a newly fledged idiot, Zala took the challenge. _Idiot Gryphon! _She cursed herself as she panted trying to catch up to the broadwing. _You know you can't keep up with him, he is the fastest Gryphon in the Silver._ Being frustrated at herself and frustrated with the male gryphon was not a conducive state of mind for flying.

"Hurry up, my little flying sail!" Savian's arrogant and taunting call floated back to her on the breeze. Zala did not bother to answer that, not like she had the breath to spare. "We're landing!"

Zala allowed the remaining air in her lungs to pass explosively out of her beak. She attempted to land with as much grace as her weary little body would allow, which unfortunately was not much at all. She managed to land in something that did not entirely resemble an over-exhausted heap, barely. She winced at the sound of the carry basket hitting the unforgiving ground with a jarring bump. She hoped that Silverhawk had not been to badly bruise by the landing. Savian had managed to land perfectly and was now watching her with a haughty disdain in his golden eyes. He caught her gaze long enough to make sure that she knew his displeasure in her performance, then dropped it with a huff. Zalanna hung her head in shame and she felt her nares begin to blush.

"Don't loose heart Sky Dancer," was the comforting murmur in her ear. Zala turned to find Silverhawk at her side removing the harness.

"I try Silverhawk, I really try. It's just that…." She allowed her voice to trail off, lost as to what to say.

"It's just that he doesn't care," Silverhawk began reasonably enough until Zala interrupted him with one of her rare emotional outbursts.

"And I am obsessing over him as a fledgling would with something shiny!"

"Oh," was all Silverhawk said. His expression, however, spoke volumes. For a gryphon, Zala was accurate at reading human facial expressions; and the sudden thoughtful expression that crossed Silverhawk's face pretty much guaranteed that something important occurred to him.

"What," she asked her curiosity piqued despite herself, "what's 'oh'?"

"Nothing, just a thought," he replied evasively.

"I don't believe that!" She accused.

"No, I didn't expect you to. Considering the fact that you are as curious as the cat you look like."

"Pardon me, but do you mean a flying mousetrap?" A delightful tenor asked. Zalanna and Silverhawk both turned around to find Nightsblade walking towards them. He had already finished removing the harness form Savian and had come to help Silverhawk. Savian meanwhile, had flown off to find his dinner. Silverhawk favored his lifebonded mate with one of his all too rare smiles.

"Yes, if that cat has wings," was his deadpan reply to his love's sally.

"Very funny you two," Zala said dryly, it was an old joke between the three of them.

"Oh, come now Zala," Nightsblade encouraged her, "all is not lost. My featherheaded partner will come around, eventually. Just as my lover has been telling you, all it takes is some time."

"Time I no longer have, we'll be in Haven tomorrow."

"So..?" Nightsblade asked.

"So, Nightsbalde if I make one innocent mistake Savian will rip my head off!"

"Oh, I seriously doubt that." Nightsblade said with a shrug.

"Come now Zalanna you are over reacting." Silverhawk chided her as he took the last bit of harness off. Zala took the time to fluff her feathers before replying to them

"Really," she finally said, "you think so?" She could not hide the irony in her voice.

"Yes!" They both answered forcefully. Zala rolled her eyes, then gryphon grinned at the two Kaled'a'in, a little levity would save the whole conversation.

"O, woe is me to be surrounded by such uncaring men!" They laughed at her then and she laughed along with them, trying to hide the fact that she did not entirely share their confidence in the matter.


	2. Arrival

The next day, after a restless night for the young gryfalcon, they were in the air before dawn, like usual. They had planned a spectacular entrance into Haven, they, well Savian, wanted to leave the people of Haven speechless. The two gryphons were supposed to land simultaneously in front of the palace in a specific pose and wings flared. The only thing left to agree on was the speed of their landing, Savian had wanted to come in fast and land at a break neck speed. A speed that even a fully rested and not so stressed Zalanna would be hard pressed to match. However, she had been willing to meekly agree to the broadwing's demand that is until Silverhawk deemed otherwise.

"I knew that you were a featherhead with fluff for brains Savian but this goes beyond your normal stupidity," as he attacked the prideful gryphon, Silverhawk's voice oozed scorn. "Zala is too tired to fly that fast and you know it!"

"Yes ssshe can!" Sav had replied, "Ssshe is a grrryfalcon is she not?" Savian replied his anger making him trill some of his r's and slur some of his s's something that Savian normally did not do. He was proud of the fact that his speech could pass for that of a human.

"A gryfalcon should be fasterrr than a sssimple broadwing, isn't that what the great Urrrtho designed for her?! Along with those hands she should have the ssspeed of a falcon, it's not my fault that she does not." His voice had had a distinctive sneer to it as he listed her failings. Zalanna could only hang her head in shame and stare at those so-called hands.

Her front claws instead of being claws like most gryphon's had stubby nails and were flexible enough to allow her to grab things, like a charcoal stick and use as a human would, although her attempts at writing had always been dismal. Still she had "hands" in a sense similar to the hands of her human friends. That and speed where to two defining characteristics of the gryfalcons' Urtho had designed them that way during the Mage Wars.

The foremother of Zala's breed had been Zhaneel a brave warrior in her own right and mated to Skandranon Rashkae the Black Gryphon. Such expectations that Zhaneel had set for all those after her were just as hard to live up to as those the Black Gryphon had given to all gryphons of any particular breed. Zalanna's nares blushed in embarrassment as Savian hinted that she was unworthy.

"It is your fault Savian," Silverhawk told the gryphon, his voice becoming deathly quiet, a sure sign that he was angry. "You've been deliberately wearing her down each day."

"That sssshould make no differrrrence." Savian said

"Damnit Savian! She is young still and she doesn't have the stamina or experience yet!" There it was, exactly what Zalanna had feared, they were making excuses for her and dragging her age into it. She was not that much younger than Savian, only by a season or two, but still her age and inexperience was held against her.

"We could fly in ssslow," Zala said meekly interrupting the brewing argument, her own nerves made her lose control of her speech. "Then sspeed up when we arrre in sight of Haven."

"No," was Silverhawk's immediate reply and that effectively ended the argument.

Zalanna had spent the rest of the morning appalled by the whole incident. Savian spent the rest of the morning silently fuming and not even a dressing down from Nightsblade about the gryphon's inconsiderate disregard for everyone other than himself got a response. Zala avoided eye contact with the male gryphon and meekly went about getting ready for the flight.

She was acutely embarrassed that Silverhawk had to come to her defense like that, it was a sign of weakness that she did not need. Back at White Gryphon before she had joined the Silvers and before she had journeyed north, Zala had been a fiercely independent fledgling who would fight at any imagined insult.

Yet something had changed the minute she laid eyes on Savian, she was overwhelmed by a deep-seated need, a craving for the gryphon's approval and affection. Zala became consumed by that craving and the naturally graceful gryfalcon became unbearably clumsy around him, so clumsy, in fact, that a newly fledged hatchling looked graceful next to her.

She spent the entire flight to Haven dwelling on her sudden incompetence around Savian. Moreover, what she could possibly do to salvage the whole bloody situation. As they neared Haven, she arrived at the solution. She waited until they had passed over most of the sprawling city and the palace complex was just barely within her sight. Zala knew that they were expected to land just inside the palace walls, where a welcoming committee would meet them.

Once she could see just over the palace walls Zala began a graceful dive, designed so she would pick up speed as she lost altitude. She had to chuckle to herself as Savian caught on to what she was doing, emitting a squawk before beginning a second dive a millisecond behind her. The dive was steep and by the end of it she had picked up the amount of speed Savian had originally wanted.

She snapped open her wings suddenly, as the ground was becoming dangerously close, letting them cup the air around her as her body was swooped backwards, she hung there for a moment before carefully beginning to land. Zala let the basket holding Silverhawk and some of there supplies touch the ground first, followed by her left hind claw then the right and eventually she brought her front legs down, allowing her wings to flare out just a bit before she pulled them in. Savian followed suit behind her, and the dive had allowed him to catch up with her so there landed was perfectly timed.

They looked like they had worked together a hundred times before instead of just being thrown together now. The appreciative gleam in Savian's eyes as he looked at her told Zala that for once, she had surprised him and won his approval, she would cherish that look for the rest of her days.

It was not until Nightsblade and Silverhawk came to stand in-between the two gryphons that Zalanna remembered the welcoming committee. Reluctantly Zala turned her attention towards the group of white clad figures that waited for them.


	3. Welcome

Zalanna had to narrow her eyes against the glare from seeing all of those white clad bodies in front of her. It took her a moment before she realized that only some were human the rest were horses. _Companions,_ Zala reminded herself. Apparently, every Herald currently in Haven had arrived to greet them; the sight was quite impressive to the young gryphon. Eventually she was able to see a small group of people detach themselves form the sea of white, mainly because this group was flanked by the unmistakable figures of two gryphons, and they could only be the Great Ones.

Zala tried not to let her nerves get the better of her and she was quite certain that she was doing a stellar job of that until she realized who exactly the people in that group were. There were only two Heralds and both had a certain regal bearing to them, therefore they could only be Queen Selenay and her Consort Herald Daren. Zala began to shake a little but a claming hand on her flank from Silverhawk was enough to sooth her. Not for the first time she took comfort in the fact that Silverhawk was her partner and her friend.

* * *

"Welcome to Haven," Selenay greeted the new Kaled'a'in delegation warmly. Treyvan had organized this particular delegation and Selenay was amused to see that the gryphon made sure to include more of his own kind. Since the mage storms and the development of a Mage Colligium there have been plenty of Kaled'a'in and gryphons in Haven, but apparently that was not enough for Treyvan.

Selenay had it from Elspeth that Treyvan was doing his best to create a gryphon wing in Haven. An idea that did not bother Selenay in the slightest, and so when Treyvan had requested a land grant from her earlier in the week she readily granted it provided that the land he decided to settle his gryphon colony on was considered undesirable for farming and was unclaimed. Both Treyvan and her consort Daren had been spending at least half of their days finding a suitable place. With his Gift of Earth Sense, Daren could tell what was suitable for farming or not, as well as what was suitable for a gryphon's unique needs. Moreover, since a gryphon could make long distance flights with little to no effort and a Companion could cover quite a bit of ground the spot they had finally settled on was only a half day's ride from Haven on Companion back, but at least a two days ride on any normal horse. Selenay had insisted that they be in at least a Companion ride away from Haven, she wanted to be able to keep in contact with this gryphon wing at all times.

All of this ran through her mind as the delegation bowed in reply to her greeting. Her lips twitched at the formality and she did her best to suppress a smile. Out of all of Valdemar's allies she had made during her tenure as Queen, Selenay enjoyed the Kaled'a'in and their cousins the Shin'a'in and Tayledras the most. They were so formal on the surface but once you got to know them they were a fountain of warmth and the greatest allies anyone could ask for.

"If you do not mind, we have some hertasi who will take care of your gear." Daren told them, "That way we may be able to show you to your rooms."

"That would be wonderful," one of the men replied in flawless Valdemarian. Selenay smiled at that, clearly they had a dyheli insert the language into their minds for them. She wondered if it was Skif who volunteered to give the two Valdemarian. Did he do it out of friendship or a sense of duty as the Heraldic representative in k'Leshya vale? She hoped it was out of friendship. "First let us remove the harness from the gryphons."

"But of course," Selenay agreed. This would give her time to observe the new delegates. The man who had spoken, he of the sharp almost hawk-like features, turned towards the smaller of the two gryphons. As the man began to remove the harness Selenay noticed that she – she did not know what made her think of the gryphon as female other than there was a distinct aura of femininity coming from her – had a lighter build than most gryphons Selenay was used to. In fact not only did the female have a lighter build, but a deeper keelbone, narrower chest, and no neck ruff to speak of, unlike any other gryphon Selenay had met so far. Perhaps what was the oddest thing about the female gryphon was the humanlike hands she had for foreclaws, Selenay noticed them as the gryphon sat back on her haunches somewhat and held the bit of harness the man had given her.

The other gryphon looked like he had been cut from the same cloth as Treyvan the only difference was coloring. Selenay grunted in surprise.

"SShe is of the grryfalcon brreed." Treyvan said in response to Selenay's grunt. Selenay turned to get a better look at the male gryphon before raising a questioning eyebrow.

"I ssshall explain laterrr." For now, Selenay would have to content herself with that.

* * *

Nightsblade and Silverhawk worked fast at getting the two gryphons out of the rigging. Once freed from the restrictive harness Zalanna fought the urge to shake and ruffle her feathers. She knew that it would not leave the Queen with a good impression of her and she knew that Savian would look down on her for that. She was supposed to be acting like a diplomat, not a fledgling.

They followed the Queen and her consort into the massive building behind them and Zala wondered at the time and effort that must have gone into creating such a place. She was also painfully reminded of White Gryphon. In the k'Leshya vale, there were no stone buildings of such stature; in fact, the vale was the farthest one could get from a city surrounded by the Pelgairs forest as it was. However, here was a city moreover, this building was the heart of that city, and Zala was reminded that her heart still longed for the majestic lines of White Gryphon. As much as she wanted adventure, she had not realized how much it would cost her.

It was lucky; Zala thought, that Nightsblade had insisted on putting on the wood and leather sheaths over Savian's formidable talons that morning. Even sheathed she could hear them as they clanked against the palaces stone floors. At least they protected the floors as much as possible. Zala had no need for such sheaths her talons were stubby enough that they would do no damaged as she traveled through the palace. She only wore such devices for combat and then instead of sheathing her talons they extended them making them just as wicked and curved as any other gryphons.

"This here," the Queen said drawing Zala's attention away from her musings. "Is the diplomat's wing of the palace complex, you will find your rooms are the third door down on the left. They have a very nice view of Companion's field from them. Now if you would excuse me, there are many other matters that acquire my attention."

They bowed their thanks to the Queen as she and her routine left them. Nightsblade took the lead in finding their rooms and when they did, Zala was pleasantly surprised. The main room was a perfect blanace between the needs and comfort for human and gryphons alike. In the farthest back corners of the room, there were what looked to be two mountains of pillows and cushions, perfect for lounging on or making a nest out of. In between those mounds of pillows, there was a set of windows. Indeed, as the Queen suggested, there was a lovely view of a rolling green field dotted here and there by white figures Zala could only assume were Companions.

The rest of the room was covered in furniture fit for the two humans as well as more cushions for the gryphons to lounge upon. Zala noticed that there were two doors leading off the main room. One she assumed would lead to a bedroom for Nightsblade and Silverhawk, the other might be to a private bathing chamber. She was certain that the back wall was meant to serve as hers and Savian's bedroom.

All and all the generosity and the understanding the furnishing represented overcame her. Moreover, it was clear to her that the men in her group felt the same way. It was Silverhawk who finally voiced what they all were feeling.

"These rooms are lovely."

"Thank you," a musical and feminine voiced replied. "We learned from Treyvan and Hydona what was most comfortable for you; in fact they oversaw the furnishing of these rooms personally."

Zalanna whipped around to see who had sunk up on them, a task made simple by the fact that the four of them had left the great door wide open as they admired their rooms. Looking for all the world as some lost country bumpkins. _Hump, this is not the first palace we have ever seen, nor the most elaborate, _Zala thought to herself thinking of the time she had spent as a gryphon-guard for the Haighlei Emperor.

She found herself face to beak with a woman of middling age – certainly younger than the Queen had been - with coppery curls that were showing a few streaks of silver-gray. The woman's eyes were a warm and welcoming brown and her heart shaped face showed no signs of guile. There was a deep calmness about her that Zala immediately sensed, in fact, she was reminded of the sheltering comfort of her mother's wing. The fact that the woman was wearing Heraldic whites was not lost on the gryfalcon either.

The woman seemed to be waiting for a reply from one of them, and since the men appeared too surprised and tongue tide to say anything Zalanna spoke up.

"These roomsss are just marvelous," she said trying her best to control her speech. It was difficult for her to shape her beak around the strange Valdemarian language. But she had spent time with Silverhawk practicing and was pleased to note that she did not sound entirely like a foreigner. A slight accent could not be helped, "A farrr better fair than sleeping in a crowded tent with a thunderrr storm each night. I am surrre they do not mean to snorrre so loudly." She finished.

The lady laughed at Zala's sally and it cheered the young gryfalcon to hear it.

"That I can understand completely," she told Zalanna after getting control of her laughter. She even threw in a conspiratorial wink.

"You must ssshare close quarters with thrrree males as well?" Zala asked her ear tuffs twitching with her curiosity.

"Ah, no. My husband can make that much noise all on his own."

"Oh?" The woman chuckled to see the gryfalcon's curiosity.

"Yes, a good friend of mine often refers to him as a 'mountain man'." Zala chuckled at the face the woman pulled when mentioning her friend's nickname for her husband.

"Well," Savian interjected not to be outdone, "You whissstle in yourrr sleep."

"Ssso do you, tunelessly I might add." The Herald smiled while Savian bristled before stalking off towards one of the pile of cushions on the opposite wall. Zala chuckled at the gryphon's antics. _Who is the fledgling I wonder_, she thought to herself with some amusement.

"May I asssk what your name isss?" Zala asked the Herald.

"You may, if I may know yours."

"I am Zalanna."

"It's a pleasure to meet you Zalanna, I am"—

Precisely at that moment a loud, mournful sounding bell rang out, drowning what the woman was about to say. She paused with her mouth wide open and whipped her head around to stare off into the distance.

"Oh no," she said barely above a whisper and with such feeling in the words. "If you will please excuse me something has come up." That was all the explanation the woman gave them before bolting from the room.

Zala turned her head to stare back at her fellow k'Leshya.

"What was that about?" Silverhawk asked in Kaled'a'in.

"That was the Death Bell," someone else answered in Kaled'a'in and once again, the four found themselves surprised by a palace resident. This time they looked to find a man who was clearly Tayledras standing in the still opened doorway. _We really should remember to close that door_, Zalanna thought wirily to herself.

"It sounds whenever a Herald dies and the Heralds know who it is and how that person died the instant the Bell tolls," the man continued to explain upon seeing their blank expressions. "That's why Talia left so suddenly the Queen will need her."

"I take it you know who died," Nightsbalde said.

"No I do not know," he answered a little evasively.

"Doesss the Bell ring frequently?" Savian asked.

"Often enough, being a Herald is a dangerous life." The Hawkbrother answered. Savian clucked his beak at the man's statement; it was obvious to Zala that Sav did not entirely believe the man. The way the Hawkbrother looked at Sav then, Zala could tell that he was aware of the male gryphon's disbelief.

"I am Darkwind," the Hawkbrother introduced himself; "Elspeth sent me to make sure everything was to your liking."

"Darkwind, truly?" Nightsblade asked sounding like a hero-worshipping youngling. "It is an honor to meet you and the rooms could not be more perfect."

"I am glad to hear that," Darkwind answered with a chuckle.

They past the rest of the afternoon with Darkwind and it wasn't until when Darkwind excused himself to prepare for the upcoming banquet that Zala realized he had kept even the gryphon's curiosity at bay.


End file.
